I have a lot of kurtas and Rajasthani-patterned clothes. So I really wanted to do something with an Indian flavour. Shooting the video for 'Lean On' was like a dream come true for me.
— DJ Snake
Hate is not something that needs to exist. You can appreciate or not appreciate, but what's the point in propagating hate?
I have always listened to Indian music online, much before my first visit to the country in 2015. But, when I got to India, I couldn't get enough of it.
I grew up influenced by different cultures, sounds, feelings, emotions, and I want Premiere Classe to be a representation of that.
I've been going to soccer games since I was a kid. For me, soccer brought people together. You didn't need money to do it. You needed one ball and your friends. That's what's so amazing about the game and why it's so global.
It's important to me that my music stands out. 'Taki Taki' doesn't sound like anything else out there, and it's hard to do that when you are on the road all the time, but it's really important to me that how people feel about my work. It was the same with 'Magenta Riddim.'
When I started DJing, because everyone called me 'Snake' in my city first, I was like, 'DJ Snake - OK, let's go for it.' The name sucks, but it's too late now.
You don't need money to be creative. The ghetto builds champions every day.
I remember the first time I dropped a couple of house records, someone threw an Air Force One in my face.
My best friend, who I grew up with in Paris, is Indian. So, I've grown up listening to a lot of Bollywood songs and watching a lot of Bollywood movies, old and new.
Be you. If people like it, great. My music is honest, and it comes from the heart. I have never done anything to become famous.
I have no problems with my eyes. It was because when I became big, I suddenly I found myself playing on stage with 200,000 people, and that is scary. I remember my manager told me just put on a pair of sunglasses, and that should mitigate the panic. So I tried it, and it worked.
I wanted to first build a platform and then use it to shine a light on music/people that I believe in. This record label is for people across all corners of the world, to showcase all genres of music.
I grew up surrounded by all types of cultures - French, Indian, Arabic - a melting pot of cultures, sounds, foods, people, and religions. It opened my eyes early, and I'm grateful for that. It's not about success in one area; it's about exploring the world musically and spending time in those places whenever you can.
I wanted to make a reggaeton record. So I sent the record to Ozuna, and he killed it. Then I felt like I wanted to add a more female vibe but still keep some Spanish touch, so I asked Selena and Cardi, and it all came together.
There is a scene in the movie with DJ Cutkiller, one of the biggest European DJs from France, and he was scratching like crazy. When I saw that, I was 14, and I was like, 'Yo that's what I want to do. That's crazy.'
The good thing about not speaking the language is you just listen. You listen to everyone, every producer, every writer.
You never know: the next DJ Snake, the next Skrillex, the next big DJs might wait outside of the club. You gotta give back and listen to the next generation and show some love.
I never assume success or crave it. I make what I love and then share it with everyone.
At school, everyone smoked cigarettes. I was the rebel who didn't want to. I have never needed anything like that to have a good time, and that also means my experiences are always very real.
I was given a chance some time ago, and it changed my life forever. I want to be able to give the same chance to the next generation of artists. There's a new wave coming, and we are going to be a part of it.
2018 was an amazing year for me, and music has changed so much: the way you can release it and the ways you can create art around it, the videos, the ways fans can interact, tour in new places.
Playing my music to fans and people enjoying it is what matters; that makes me happy as an artiste. If you start worrying about awards, you will lose your creativity.
People trust me because I've had success.
I make music almost, like, every day. But I don't release a lot of music.
People were like, 'You're crazy. You're going to lose all your credibility and fans.' But I wanted to try new things and make my own music. So I became a producer.
